The pole was a heavy iron or lead pipe probably twenty feet long... the pipe, crafted into a flag was raised in Iwo Jima during the war in 1945, inspired the troops to fight on and advance the lines to victory. the diploma, my pipe, propelled me to finish school with a blaze. high school was my war and it took every bit of my strength to get past and conquor the foreign knowledge that stood in my way. with a great cheer at the end of the four years it hit me like a boom i can do this i can start my next years tackling college and blasting my way to the life i want and deserve. the site and emotions i felt that day i raised up lifted in my own amazement i look back at those days leading up to graduation the feverish studying and impossible late nights frantically pursuing this last chance to make my mark i think of those times when i look at my pictures, captured by a cheapo disposable camera it reminds me i can do it i just need to conjure the strength and the will to get it done. "i was surprised by the fifth day they could do this..." their fifth day was my last day of junior year i tasted this nectar, completion and the pride that follows. enthuised, like the soldiers in "Flag Raising On Iwo Jima"by, Joe Roseenthal, i pushed myself and i made it through that gut wrenching years obstacles ( friends and fun) and i pushed ahead i made it an immense pleasure waiting to be called for my stage walk my Flag Raising at Luther Burbank, June 14, 2007 !
